Crate.



J.'W. HECTOR.

CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED M10526, 1905.

W/ TNESSES ZJZ/WW HE NORRIS PETERS co., wnsumcmu, a. c,

PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907 JWWJP UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

JOHN W. HECTOR, OF SAVANNAH, NEW YORK.

CRATE.

T 0 at whom it ntay concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. REoToR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Savannah, in the county of I/Yayne and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Crate, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in crates in fastening the slats to-the cornerposts; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to lengthen the life of and strengthen the crate; second, to accomplish these ends in a very economical manner.

The nature of my improvements is wire that binds the slats firmly in the gained orre cessed places of the corner-posts.

I attain these objects by the crate illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the crate; Fig. 2, a perspective view of a portion of a corner-post, showing the gains to receive the slats; and Fig. 3 shows one of the lock-joints of the binding-wires, which may be better understood by referring to their position between the slats, as shown'in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 and Fig 3 are drawn to a larger scale than In the manufacture of the crate herein shown I make use of thin slats for the sides and bottom, and for the ends thick top and bottom slats. The ends of these thick slats are reduced to the thickness of the thin slats and are fitted to the corner-posts. The slats between the top and bottom ones are thin, the same as the side slats, all being as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The corner-posts are gained on each side to receive about one-third the thickness of the slats, as shown in Fig. 2. The gains are located the requisite distance apart to give the required space between the slats, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 1. The slats are nailed in position, one nail being suflicient in each end of the side and end slats and two nails in each end of the bottom slats, as shown Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 26, 1905.

Patented Jan. 15, 19(37.

Serial No, 293,236-

in Fig. 1. The corner at the top and bottom is sawed to receive the wires, as shown at B in Fig. 1. One wire is used for each corner and formed by hand or machinery. The first operation is to form the wire loops, as shown in Fig. 3, except the end atAis straight. The hook form is given later. The loops are formed the necessary distance apart to pass between the slats and of suflicient length to form later the lock-joint. The second is to place the wire loops between the side slats and bend the Wire in groove B across the top, then down the end, and draw both ends of the wire tight and fasten together in the groove at the bottom. The third is to turn the ends of the loops, thereby making the lock-joints as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3. This operation binds the slats tightly to the osts.

p The wire binding in connection with the gained posts secures the slats so firmly that the crate is very rigid, and any force tending to rack or throw it out of square will tighten the wires, thereby making it very inflexible and strong.

I am aware that prior to my invention crates have been made with slats nailed to corner-posts and wire has been used in some cases. I therefore do not claim such a combination, broadly; but

I claim In a crate, the combination of slat sides and ends held to corner-posts by wires and nails, one wire being used for each corner and formed into loops which pass between the side slats and lock between the end slats, and the top and bottom of each corner grooved to hold the wire, and the ends of the wire fastened together in the bottom groove, in conjunction with corner-posts gained to receive the side and end slats, all substantially as set forth.

JOHN W. HECTOR. Witnesses:

E. S. OARNoRoss, L. CAME. 

